Dell, Cray Deal Targets High-End Users

Dell Computer Corp. on Monday announced a deal for supercomputer maker Cray Inc. to offer high-performance cluster solutions featuring Dells PowerEdge servers.
The deal with Seattle-based Cray, a longtime leader in designing some of the worlds most powerful computers, highlights the companys efforts to extend its customer base by integrating its technology into popular Intel-based servers.

For Dell, the worlds largest PC vendor, the agreement could boosts its profile among high-end corporate computer users, a market that has traditionally relied on non-Intel, Unix-based vendors, such as Sun Microsystems Inc.

Crays cluster solutions focus on integrating multiple computing devices into a single system, creating a virtual supercomputer.
While cluster solutions have long been utilized by research and government organizations to tackle their most intensive tasks, such as mapping human genes or simulating nuclear weapons tests, the technology has recently gained greater acceptance in the corporate arena.
Overall, clustering technology offers companies the ability to exercise greater control over their data centers, increasing their flexibility to adjust their resources to tackle varying business work loads.

The technology also can boost operational efficiencies by closely monitoring and distributing work loads across a single data center, or multiple data centers, to help ensure optimal use of existing resources.
Under the agreement announced Monday, Dell will provide Cray with current and future products, including networking and storage options, training and support for Crays engineering and service organizations.
Further details of the three-year contract were not disclosed.
"This relationship promises to expand Dells market opportunity in high-performance computing by leveraging Crays unrivaled understanding of high-performance computing markets, customers, applications and technologies," said Randy Groves, vice president of Dells Enterprise Systems Group in Round Rock, Texas.